About the fourth or fifth time Vantage Point begins its story over from the exact hour it started – but from a different character's point of view – nearly everyone in the audience of the screening I attended was moaning and probably thinking about Ground Hog Day.
An international anti-terror summit is about to take place in Spain. Attending is U.S. President Ashton (William Hurt) with a secret service staff anxious to protect him in the midst of the highly energized and politically-charged crowd.
William Hurt
Watching from inside their world headlines trailer are producer Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver) and her cable news team. As she directs a camera right, left, full on and chastises a young reporter for trying to be the news instead of report the news, the President and his staff arrive. Brooks seems surprised to see Barnes (Dennis Quaid), Ashton's number one Secret Service agent, who has returned to work after suffering some kind of an emotional upheaval.
Sigourney Weaver
Barnes appears nervous as a new mother while scanning the crowd for anything awkward. He narrows in on a tourist (Forest Whitaker) who’s taking candid shots with his DVD camera and grinning from ear to ear as he takes in the sights. As Ashton moves behind the podium, Barnes notices a curtain moving in an upstairs window. Agent Taylor (Matthew Fox) offers to check it out. Not realizing Barnes has saved the President's life before; the tourist notices Barnes's taunt face, follows his stare and begins to notice other suspicious things which he gets all on tape.
Forest Whitaker
When the President is shot and one explosion after another goes off, pandemonium ensues. Ashton is whisked off in an ambulance. The tourist rescues a small girl who has lost her mother and several terrorists have control of their intended plan. After the President disappears, Barnes goes on a very wild car chase with one of the men he believes is part of the terrorist team.
Quaid probably gives the only good performance in this film. Hurt, Whitaker – who usually can be counted on for great acting – and the other leading actors are either on screen for a short time or never impress with their presence.
Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox
Director Pete Travis's device of starting the film over from different POVs seems interesting the first few times it’s utilized. Watching the plot unfold through different eyes allows the pieces of a very large puzzle to fit quickly into place. But then this approach becomes tedious and loses its intended steam. Also, although there are some clever twists and turns in Vantage Point, the improbable and long chase begins to play out its effectiveness as one implausible situation after another takes place.
If you're in the theater anyway, you might stick out this energetic ride, measuring those "oh come on!" moments as they come. However, because most viewers will probably be able to figure out many of the particular elements ahead of time as well as recognize the film’s flaws, enjoyment of Vantage Point clearly lies in the eye of the beholder.
Photo credits: Daniel Daza / Columbia Pictures
